Concupiscence

Unusquisque vero tentatur a concupiscentia sua abstractus et illectus; deinde concupiscentia, cum conceperit, parit peccatum, peccatum vero, cum consummatum fuerit, generat mortem. James 1:14-15

(But every man is tempted by his own concupiscence, being drawn away and allured. Then when concupiscence hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin. But sin, when it is completed, begetteth death.)

Saint James tells here (the first reading of today's Mass [Tuesday of 6th week in ordinary time {year II}])of the ultimate interior source of temptation and therefore of sin, and that sin is the source of death. Adam sinned and thereby produced the heritage of original sin, concupiscence and death into the world. Our personal sins are caused by ourselves, therefore, by our internal inherited inclination toward sin. Our fallen nature tends toward what is forbidden. By the grace of God, through the sacraments and prayer and acts of self-denial (e.g. the bodily penances of the saints, even JPII, which are required for every Catholic, at least every Friday of the year) we can reduce that inherited concupiscence.

It is, therefore, false to say that God tempted you. You can say that the devil tempted you and that the world and other people tempted you. But, ultimately, every sin of which you are truly guilty is from you, from your own heart, your decision based on your disordered desire ("the flesh") which you have not purified. So, it is not strictly true to even say "the devil made me do it." We must correct our disordered orientations! Every man must, in order to be saved. Either we shall purify our hearts with a pious and upright life in Christ, by His grace, especially in the Sacraments, or we will destroy ourselves, individually and as a people.

For "when concupiscence hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin. But sin, when it is completed, begetteth death." The purpose of disordered desires is sin and the purpose of sin is the death of man. Neither has any benefit or good effect.

Every man should pray to be delivered from himself, from this fallen state of concupiscence: "Heavenly Father...lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen."